Belphegor fall into that category of bands that has emerged in recent years - those which in essence are black metal in their themes - not to mention in lyrical content - but actually adopt a harsh "technical death metal" sound for their playing style. A good point of reference for comparison would be recent "Demigod" material from BEHEMOTH.

While I would say Belphegor sound distinctly more death metal than the above, their ideals are most definitely rooted firmly in the black metal realm. To say "Goatreich Fleshcult" features a fair amount of anti-Christian sentiment is rather a staggering understatement - to give you a fair idea: the CD inlay features an X-Ray picture of a Nun with a rather strategically placed crucifix, the album starts off with what sounds like a Monk [!] being tortured, and they once wrote a song called "Fukk the Blood of Christ" - so naturally this isn't going to be everyone's cup of evil Coco.

All this aside, what you have in "Goatreich Fleshcult" is a ferocious monster of an album. It's been a while since I've heard production quite this good from a death metal album - especially considering the speed and intensity of the music in question. The sound is delivered with a particularly crispness and clarity - whilst still managing to give the guitars that ground shaking "oomph" within the riff-work. (Something sorely lacking in Nile's "In Their Darkened Shrines"). The production also helps showcase how incredibly tight the drummer is - every note of every blast-beat can be heard, along with some of the more organic subtleties - proving proceedings here to be more than just your run-of-the-mill black/death metal crossover shenanigans.

The pace of the album is generally hellishly fast throughout - from the opening salvo of "Crucifixus Anus Dei" and "Bleeding Salvation" through to the brutal "Crown Massacre" and beyond - the only time things really turn down a notch or two are for the superb "Sepulture of Hypocrisy" - a Doom Laden, bile filled anthem with menacingly slow guitars - so much so, you could almost imagine something creeping up on you - getting ready to "strategically place" that aforementioned crucifix.

Whilst this album is technically superb, it is most definitely not for everyone. "Goatreich Fleshcult" is a blackened, filthy beast of an album - equal in menace as it is to brutality and intensity. Tackle it if you dare.

Standout Tracks:  Swarm of Rats, The Crown Massacre, Sepulture of Hypocrisy.

Overall Score:   8 /10